Andrus Peat

Latest On Raiders’ Offensive Line

June 19th, 2024 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

After making minimal changes during the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler period, the Raiders made a few moves aimed to bolster their offensive line this offseason. Though, they passed on a clear-cut upgrade effort.

The Raiders did not capitalize on this draft’s deep tackle crop, leaving Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, Troy Fautanu and Co. on the board at No. 13 in order to take Brock Bowers in a best-player-available pick. With two-year right tackle starter Jermaine Eluemunor committing to New York during the legal tampering period, Las Vegas is readying to plug former seventh-rounder Thayer Munford in as a starter.

This has been a rumored scenario for a bit, but coming out of minicamp, ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez points to the Ohio State product being the clear favorite to take over opposite Kolton Miller. Munford was viewed as a player who could push Eluemunor for the gig during training camp last year, but the Raiders passed on elevating the younger player and kicking the veteran to a swing role. This worked out well for Eluemunor, who parlayed his second season as Las Vegas’ RT into a career-best payday (two years, $14MM) from the Giants.

Munford also saw time at left tackle last season, filling in for an injured Miller, who missed four games. Pro Football Focus viewed Munford’s work positively, particularly in the run game, in part-time duty. Ohio State has churned out a number of quality O-line prospects in recent years, and while Munford lasted until pick No. 238 in 2022, he started 45 games for the Buckeyes. He earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2020 and ’21, providing an interesting background ahead of this starter opportunity.

Raiders offensive line coach James Clegg confirmed (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) the team is moving Dylan Parham from left to right guard. This previously rumored move will pair Parham, a two-year LG starter, with Munford and clear a path for rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson on the left side. Though, Powers-Johnson missed most of Las Vegas’ offseason program with an undisclosed injury. Teams are not obligated to specify injuries during the offseason, but the second-round pick missed considerable time ahead of his first training camp.

One of the veteran blockers the Raiders added later in free agency, Cody Whitehair primarily filled in for Powers-Johnson, Gutierrez adds. Miller, who underwent shoulder surgery earlier this offseason, gave way to the other notable UFA O-line addition — Andrus Peat — during minicamp, per Tafur. While Whitehair and Peat look to be insurance options, they each have started more than 100 games. The Raiders received some quality stopgap work from mid-offseason pickup Greg Van Roten — at right guard — last season but did not re-sign him. Powers-Johnson’s training camp status will be worth monitoring, and his offseason absences stand to help Whitehair, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.5MM ($1.4MM guaranteed).

Peat’s extensive past, which includes Pro Bowl nods, at left guard would help his cause. But the Raiders using him as Miller’s fill-in opens the door for Whitehair. Peat also spent much of last season at LT, replacing an ineffective Trevor Penning.

The Raiders plan to manage Miller to keep him healthy this season, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore. This could lead to Peat, whose $2MM contract only includes $450K guaranteed, being prioritized as veteran insurance. Two years remain on Miller’s three-year, $54MM extension, though no guaranteed money is left on the veteran LT’s deal.

Peat in a swing role would make sense, given his past at guard and tackle. Whitehair has played extensively at guard and center. The Raiders also drafted Delmar Glaze in the third round, crowding a depth chart that was thinner in 2023. Glaze has backed up Munford this offseason, per Gutierrez. For now, though, left guard may be the only job up for grabs going into training camp.

Andrus Peat Sought Saints Exit; Raiders Making O-Line Changes

June 6th, 2024 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andrus Peat spent nine seasons with the Saints, the last four attached to a contract he signed as a free agent in 2020. Peat played out what became a four-year deal and signed a one-year, $2MM deal with the Raiders shortly after the draft.

The Saints are believed to have shown interest in another Peat contract, but NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill writes he preferred a fresh start elsewhere. Peat figures to vie for a starting job in Las Vegas, while New Orleans is holding a competition to see who will start at guard opposite Cesar Ruiz.

The Saints initially signed Peat to a five-year deal back in 2020, but they voided the former first-rounder’s final year and gave him a pay cut in 2023. Peat, 30, missed 17 games due to injury from 2021-22 but ended up being the team’s replacement for struggling first-rounder Trevor Penning at left tackle last season.

Not much interest came his way this offseason, which also included a Titans visit. Pro Football Focus ranked Peat 56th among tackles last season; the former Pro Bowl guard will attempt to rebound with the Raiders. Though, Las Vegas is far from certain to turn to the mid-offseason pickup as a first-stringer. The team made some moves to bolster its front after multiple low-key offseasons regarding this position group.

In addition to Peat, the Raiders added Cody Whitehair in free agency and then used both their Day 2 picks on blockers — second-rounder Jackson Powers-Johnson, third-rounder DJ Glaze. The Raiders may view Peat as a swingman, making it rather interesting he would select Las Vegas as his free agency destination. It is unclear, however, if New Orleans made an offer. Given the Saints’ situation at tackle and left guard, it would make sense for the team to bring Peat back. But the sides separated. The 10th-year blocker is now on an O-line set for significant change.

Kolton Miller and re-signed center Andre James will reprise their roles, but the other three positions stand to see change from 2023. The Raiders are shifting two-year left guard Dylan Parham to the right side, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore, while Thayer Munford is the favorite to replace Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle. Eluemunor signed a two-year, $14MM Giants deal in March.

A 2022 third-round pick, Parham logged 110 snaps at right guard as a rookie. But he has primarily played on the left side as a pro. Munford pushed Eluemunor during the Raiders’ 2023 training camp, but the veteran remained the Silver and Black’s right tackle when available. He also saw time at left tackle, filling in for Miller, who missed four games. PFF viewed Munford’s work positively, particularly in the run game, last season. This will still be a big jump for a former seventh-round pick.

Peat’s tackle history in the NFL has mostly come on the left side; he has logged all of 80 snaps at RT (78 of those as a rookie in 2015) as a pro. Glaze, who also could settle in as the Raiders’ swing tackle, will be part of the team’s RT battle as well, Bonsignore adds.

The Raiders are expected to use Powers-Johnson at left guard, but he missed much of the team’s OTA sessions, Bonsignore adds. Powers-Johnson played center at Oregon last season, replacing 2023 Broncos seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth as Bo Nix‘s snapper and winning the 2023 Rimington Award (given to Division I-FBS’ top center). The Raiders, who re-signed James to a three-year deal worth $24MM, are converting their second-round pick to guard. Powers-Johnson played 350 snaps at right guard as a sophomore in 2022.

Las Vegas, which did not re-sign primary 2023 RG Greg Van Roten, suddenly features both experience and a collection of early-round picks up front. It will be interesting to see how the team uses its host of offseason additions, as Peat (102) and Whitehair (118) have combined for 220 career starts. New Raiders OC Luke Getsy coaching Whitehair for two seasons in Chicago makes his status as a projected backup — as of now, at least — rather interesting as well.

NFL Contract Details: Singletary, Jones, Peat

May 27th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recent new contracts around the NFL:

Devin Singletary, RB (Giants): Three years, $16.5MM. We had a number of details on Singletary’s contract in our original report, especially noting that the veteran rusher would have the ability to earn up to $3MM in incentives. Thanks to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, we now know how he can earn around $1MM of those incentives. $625K will be available based on his performance; Singletary can earn $125K for reaching 1,100 combined rushing and receiving yards, an additional $250K for 1,200 yards, and another $250K for 1,300 yards. The remaining $325K of the amount previously mentioned would come from playing time. Singletary can earn $125K for playing 56 to 65 percent of New York’s offensive snaps and an additional $250K for playing 66 percent or more.
Zay Jones, WR (Cardinals): One year, $2.25MM. In our original post, we noted that Jones’ deal will be worth up to $4.25MM. OvertheCap.com lists his contract value at the $2.25MM amount listed about. The deal has a guaranteed amount of $1.15MM consisting of $650K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.41MM) and a $500K signing bonus. Jones can also earn a per game active roster bonus of $340K for the season.
Andrus Peat, OL (Raiders): One year, $2MM. We didn’t see much in initial reports on Peat’s deal with Las Vegas on salary, but thanks to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, now we know that his contract will be for the $2MM-figure noted above. Underhill also tells us that Peat’s deal will include a guaranteed amount consisting entirely of a $450K signing bonus.

Saints Trying Trevor Penning At Right Tackle, Made Effort To Re-Sign Andrus Peat

May 21st, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two years after the Saints made Trevor Penning a first-round pick with an aim toward installing him as a long-term left tackle, the Division I-FCS product’s career has not panned out. After an injury-marred rookie season, Penning closed the 2023 campaign as a backup.

The Saints benched Penning in October, and the Northern Iowa alum did not play more than six offensive snaps in a game the rest of the way. Penning’s developmental struggles came as Ryan Ramczyk battled knee trouble to the point his availability for this season is in question. The Saints also saw three-year starter James Hurst announce his retirement before the draft and Andrus Peat join the Raiders soon after.

New Orleans’ tackle situation effectively mandated the team take advantage of this year’s deep draft class, and the team did by choosing Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga at No. 14. Despite playing right tackle primarily with the Beavers, Fuaga is ticketed to begin his pro career at left tackle. This would leave Penning in jeopardy of losing a path to a starting job, but Dennis Allen said (via WWL’s Jeff Nowak) the young blocker is now working at right tackle. He may well be the Saints’ top contingency plan in the event Ramczyk is unable to go this season.

Saints offensive line coach John Benton said (via NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras) the team had planned to kick Penning to the right side regardless of the Fuaga draft pick. This creates an unusual scenario in which the team moves a college right tackle to the left side and a player who had been slotted at the blindside post over to RT.

Chosen 19th overall in 2022, Penning missed 11 games as a rookie after sustaining a torn ligament in his foot just before the season. He then suffered a Lisfranc injury during a Week 18 game against the Panthers that turned into a bloodbath for O-line starters, as Carolina lost Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen to major injuries that day. Penning was in New Orleans’ lineup to start the 2023 season, but Peat ended up sliding to left tackle (with Hurst at left guard) after the Saints deemed Penning unready. The three-season Northern Iowa starter is already at an NFL crossroads, but the Saints may be counting on him to replace Ramczyk this season.

As for Penning’s 2023 replacement, Peat signed a one-year deal with the Raiders earlier this month. Peat, 30, started 102 games in nine seasons with the Saints — most of them at left guard. The former Pro Bowler did not receive too much attention in free agency (beyond a Titans visit), but Allen confirmed (via NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett) the team did pursue another deal with the 2015 first-rounder. Given Peat’s low-profile free agency, it appears New Orleans did not make a strong effort to keep him. Peat played out a five-year, $57.5MM deal last season.

Given the instability of the Saints’ O-line during the Penning years, it is a bit surprising rumors about Peat coming back on a third Saints contract did not circulate. Pro Football Focus did grade Peat outside the top 50 at tackle last season, and the longtime Saints LG missed 17 games between the 2021 and ’22 seasons. The Saints now have a host of left guard options — UFAs Oli Udoh, Lucas Patrick and Shane Lemieux, along with 2023 fourth-round pick Nick Saldiveri — post-Peat, though none brings the nine-year starter’s experience.

Raiders, OL Andrus Peat Agree To Deal

May 6th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Andrus Peat has found a new home in the post-draft wave of free agency. The longtime Saints offensive lineman has agreed to a deal with the Raiders, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

A 2015 first-round pick, Peat has spent his entire career in New Orleans, starting 102 of his 111 appearances (plus six playoff starts). That included a three-year stretch between 2018 and 2020 where he started all 36 of his games while earning Pro Bowl nods each season. Injuries were often a theme during Peat’s tenure with the Saints; the lineman missed 36 regular season games in nine seasons, including 17 between 2021 and 2022.

Peat bounced back from a health perspective in 2023, appearing in a career-high 16 games. The veteran initially lost his starting guard spot to James Hurst, but Peat eventually worked his way into the lineup at left tackle. Pro Football Focus only ranked him 56th among 81 qualifying offensive tackles, although he did improve on his performance from the previous two campaigns.

The veteran inked a five-year, $57.5MM deal with the Saints in 2020, but after a series of restructurings, the final year of that pact was voided. That made Peat a free agent following the 2023 campaign, and it’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the lineman. The 30-year-old has only been connected to the Titans, although it was assumed his market would pick up following the draft.

Considering Peat’s versatility, he should be in the mix for a starting role in Les Vegas. The Raiders added Cody Whitehair via free agency before selecting Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round of the draft. Peat will join that duo and holdover Dylan Parham in a competition for the two starting guard spots, although the latest acquisition’s versatility means he could also see some opportunities at either tackle spot.

Titans To Host OL Andrus Peat

March 18th, 2024 at 2:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans have already made a number of moves along the offensive line, but more could be coming. Tennessee is set host veteran guard/tackle Andrus Peat, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Peat, 30, has spent his entire career in New Orleans since arriving in 2015. He has served as a full-time starter for almost that entire span (102 of 111 games), but his playing time saw a decline this past campaign. The former first-rounder started 12 contests in 2023, but he logged a 75% snap share – the lowest figure since his rookie season.

The Saints have been met with injury troubles up front in recent years, and Peat’s availability has been a constant in that. The 16 games he suited up for last year represented the most in his career, one which has seen a number of injuries lead to missed time. The Stanford product has primarily been used at left guard, but last season he manned the blindside with Trevor Penning struggling to earn a first-team spot.

Peat has generally not fared well in terms of PFF evaluations, but his 2023 grade (60.2) marked his second-highest since 2017. He would provide a starting-caliber option to Tennessee at both tackle and guard, flexibility which could be valuable as the team re-shapes much of its offensive line. Aaron Brewer has departed in free agency, while Andre Dillard, Chris Hubbard and Calvin Throckmorton are unsigned.

The Titans added center Lloyd Cushenberry on a four-year, $50MM deal last week; the former Bronco will be counted on as an anchor in the middle of Tennessee’s O-line. The team has also invested in Saahdiq Charles, who has experience at both guard spots. Adding Peat would provide further flexibility up front as the Titans aim to rebound from a poor showing on offense last season. Tennessee currently sits third in the league with nearly $47MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if the Peat visit results in the desire for a deal.

Saints Bench LT Trevor Penning

October 15th, 2023 at 9:10am CST by Rory Parks

After starting the first five games of the 2023 season, Saints LT Trevor Penning has been benched, as Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com writes. Veteran James Hurst will man the blindside in New Orleans’ game against the Texans today.

Penning, the No. 19 overall pick of the 2022 draft, had his NFL debut delayed by nearly three months by a torn foot ligament, and he sustained a Lisfranc injury in Week 18 of the 2022 season that required multiple surgeries. All in all, Penning played in his just six games (one start) in his rookie campaign and saw a mere 58 snaps at left tackle.

To his credit, the Northern Iowa product has played every snap this season, but his performance has been a mixed bag at best. Out of the 62 offensive tackles who have played at least half of their team’s snaps in 2023, Penning ranks 47th, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. And while the offensive line as a whole had a good day in the Saints’ 34-0 victory over the Patriots last week, Penning earned a subpar 54.7 grade, the lowest mark among the club’s front five.

After allowing two sacks and six pressures in New Orleans’ Week 1 contest against Tennessee, Penning has allowed just one sack and eight pressures over the past four games. That improvement, however, was not enough for the coaching staff as it seeks to coax more out of an offense that presently ranks 25th in the league in yardage and 22nd in scoring.

Hurst started 16 games at LT in Penning’s absence in 2022 and has started each of the Saints’ first five games of the current season, including four at left guard and one at right guard. If Andrus Peat — who is dealing with a groin injury and who missed the New England game due to a concussion — is unable to suit up, offseason acquisition Max Garcia would fill in at LG.

Duncan characterizes Penning’s demotion as a surprise, and it is currently unclear when he will be reinserted into the lineup.

Saints LG Andrus Peat In Danger Of Losing Starting Job?

August 6th, 2023 at 9:23am CST by Rory Parks

Saints left guard Andrus Peat has dealt with a litany of injuries in his career, and he has averaged just ten games per season over the last four years. The 29-year-old has already suffered a quadriceps injury in this year’s training camp that has caused him to miss time, and Rod Walker of NOLA.com believes Peat may no longer be in line for a starting role.

James Hurst, who is capable of playing both guard and tackle, received first-team reps at left guard in Peat’s absence, and Walker says it would not surprise if Hurst gets the nod at LG when the regular season begins. Hurst operated as New Orleans’ primary left tackle in 2022, but with Trevor Penning set to take over that post after an injury-riddled rookie campaign, Hurst will move to a reserve role or to a different position on the O-line.

Peat, whom the Saints selected in the first round of the 2015 draft, also saw action at multiple positions in the early stages of his career, including run as the club’s starting LT in 2016 and 2017. Since 2018, he has settled in at left guard, and while Pro Football Focus’ metrics have never rated him as an above-average player at that position, he earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2018-20.

In March 2020, he inked a five-year, $57.5MM contract with the Saints, and thanks to mutliple restructures, his spot on this year’s roster is secure. But the most recent restructure wiped out the final year of the deal and turned it into a void year, so he will be eligible for free agency at season’s end. If he were to turn in a healthy, quality performance in 2023, he could land another lucrative pact next offseason, but his pursuit of such an accord has not gotten off to a great start.

Hurst, meanwhile, signed a one-year deal with the Saints in 2020 and showed enough during his first year in the Big Easy to land a three-year, $9MM contract in March 2021. He worked at both tackle spots and at left guard in 2021 before his extended look on the blind side last year. In each of the last two seasons, he has earned strong pass-blocking grades of 76.9 and 76.6 from Pro Football Focus, though his less stellar run-blocking grades have pulled down his overall marks.

NFL Restructures: Smith, Mahomes, Fitzpatrick, Peat, Thomas, Hines, Waller

March 18th, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Ely Allen

We had news recently that Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith had agreed to restructure his contract with the team, reducing his massive $17.6MM cap hit. Thanks to Todd Archer of ESPN, we now have some details on the deal. Smith was headed into the last year of an eight-year agreement, so his restructure essentially functions as a one-year contract.

The newly restructured contract will be a one-year, $6MM deal with a potential maximum value of $17MM. He received a $3MM signing bonus for the changes and has his $3MM base salary guaranteed. The deal rapidly escalates from there with several playing time incentives. Smith will receive an additional $1MM bonus for each of these snap share thresholds: 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, and 90%. This means that if he plays over 90% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps, he will receive $9MM, one for each of the nine levels.

He can also receive playoff incentives, 75% of which are paid off of wins alone. The remaining 25% is paid if he plays over half of the team’s offensive snaps in those wins. He would receive $500,000 for each playoff win in which he plays the majority of the snaps. With four possible playoff wins, that’s a total of $2MM in playoff bonuses. Those plus the $9MM from the playing time incentives and the $6MM guaranteed at signing push the contract to it’s maximum value of $17MM.

Here is some other news on restructures from around the league:

The Chiefs created some financial breathing room by restructuring star quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘s massive contract, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The team converted $12MM of his 2023 roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating $9.6MM in cap space for the season.
Yates also reports that the Steelers found some cap space by restructuring the contract of a star. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick agreed to a restructured deal that would reward the Steelers with $10.07MM of additional cap space in 2023 by converting $13.42MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus.
The Saints were able to gain some cap room by restructuring the deal of guard Andrus Peat, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team converted $4MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus, reducing his salary from $11.83MM to $7.83MM. He then took an additional pay cut to reduce his 2023 base salary to $1.5MM as the team voided out his 2024 salary, adding three more voidable years to the deal. The moves resulted in an additional $9.53MM in cap space for New Orleans.
Another NFC South player reportedly took a pay cut as Panthers tight end Ian Thomas agreed to a restructured deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In his new deal, Thomas will earn $3MM in 2023 and $3.65MM in 2024. The deal creates an additional $2.88MM in cap space.
Another report from Yates tells us that the Bills have agreed to a renegotiated contract with running back Nyheim Hines. While the details are not yet available, it entails a $1MM signing bonus and the opportunity to earn $4.79MM in bonuses, clearing out some cap space for Buffalo while providing some incentives for Hines next season.
Lastly, following the tight end’s trade to the Giants, Darren Waller has agreed to a renegotiated deal with his new team, according to Yates. New York has converted $9.84MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus. The move creates $7.87MM in additional cap space for the Giants.

NFC Injury Rumors: Rams, Peat, Buccaneers

December 25th, 2022 at 12:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Injuries continue to hamper the Rams in the final stretch of the season. News earlier this week confirmed that calf strains to center Brian Allen and wide receiver Ben Skowronek “are severe enough to sideline them for the rest of the season,” according to team staff writer Stu Jackson. That leaves Los Angeles down two more starters as the Super Bowl hangover continues.

Allen has had a disappointing season, health-wise. After missing five weeks while dealing with a knee injury early on in the year, then two more with a thumb issue, the calf strain has finally put an end to Allen’s tumultuous 2022 season. Starting guard Coleman Shelton, who has plenty of past experience at center, moved inside when Allen left last week’s game and will continue to start at center for the remainder of the season. To replace Shelton at right guard, the team will choose between backup linemen Bobby Evans, Oday Aboushi, and Zach Thomas.

Not that there was much damage left to do to the battle-worn Rams, but Skowronek is yet another damaging loss to the team. With starting receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson already on injured reserve, Skowronek was Los Angeles’s leading wideout still on the active roster. With the former Notre Dame tight end joining Kupp and Robinson as out for the remainder of the year, quarterback Baker Mayfield will be passing to Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Brandon Powell, Austin Trammell, and Lance McCutcheon.

Allen and Skowronek add their names to the litany of Rams’ starters who have gone down for the year. Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFC, focusing on a couple teams in the South:

Saints starting guard Andrus Peat left Saturday’s win over the Browns with an ankle injury and did not return. Peat is no stranger to injuries, having struggled with them throughout his NFL career. His absence, though, puts New Orleans in a tough spot as it succeeded in remaining in the NFC South race with Saturday’s victory. Already down starting right guard Cesar Ruiz, who is out for the year with a Lisfranc injury, the Saints are having to put together a patchwork offensive line. Peat’s usual backup, Calvin Throckmorton, started the game in place of Ruiz. With backup guard Lewis Kidd inactive, New Orleans had to turn to Josh Andrews, a practice squad center who had been a gameday elevation. The severity of the injury has yet to be determined, but an extended absence from Peat would make it even more difficult for the Saints to clinch a playoff spot down the stretch.
The Buccaneers ruled out three starters for today’s matchup with the Cardinals, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Starting tackle Donovan Smith, defensive tackle Vita Vea, and cornerback Jamel Dean have all been ruled out, as has outside linebacker Carl Nassib. With the bad news comes the good news that Tampa Bay’s other starting tackle Tristan Wirfs is expected to play today. Backup tackle Josh Wells, who was also questionable coming into this week, will likely start in place of Smith. Vea’s role should be filled by Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Dean will likely be replaced by a combination of Sean Murphy-Bunting, Dee Delaney, and Zyon McCollum.

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